Vietnam’s largest island, Phu Quoc is now an attractive destination

Thursday, May 23, 2019

From many years, Vietnam’s largest island, Phu Quoc had been a sleepy, low-key destination. But in the last few years, the island has become one of Asia’s most talked about destinations, especially with regard to luxury tourism.

At the turn of the 21st century, Phu Quoc, which is blessed with stunning beaches and an attractive year-round climate, was an undeveloped tropical island with minimal tourism. However, many believed that it had the potential to compete with the likes of Bali and Phuket.

Initially, most visitors to the island stayed for just two days before flying back to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The island had no direct flights from overseas.

Roads in and out of Duong Dong, the capital of Phu Quoc, were mostly made of red clay and full of pot holes. All around the island, there were very few high-end beach resorts and 5-star hotels. Tourist infrastructure and services in Phu Quoc were not of standard level to attract domestic and international visitors. In 2010, the island welcomed only 239,000 visitors. Opening in 2012, a new Phu Quoc International Airport started to boost arrivals.

In 2015, 850,000 tourists came to the ‘Pearl Island’, which is a significant jump on 2010, but still far below expectations.

However, over the last three years, the island started to see explosive and exponential growth. Nowadays, more visitors come in one month than the whole of 2010.

By 2030, the island is predicted to welcome approximately two to three million tourists annually.

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